Rally with Seattle-area hotel workers on May Day

On International Workers Day, join hotel workers from the Seattle area at the Westin Seattle, Doubletree SeaTac as they demand a fair contract

SEATTLE — The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO is urging all union members and supporters to celebrate May Day — International Workers’ Day — by taking action to support hotel workers. Join members of UNITE HERE Local 8 who will be rallying Wednesday outside of the Westin Seattle and Doubletree Hotel to demand better wages and benefits to match the high cost of living in the Seattle area.

TAKE A STAND — Join the UNITE HERE Day of Action on Wednesday, May 1 at 4 p.m. outside the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel at 18740 International Blvd. in SeaTac, and the Westin Seattle at 1900 5th Ave. in Seattle.

Workers in the Seattle area are joining thousands of hotel workers across the U.S. and Canada on May 1 as they prepare for possible widespread labor disputes at major hotel brands including Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt. Workers at the Westin and Doubletree SeaTac are among more than 1,000 workers at six hotel properties in the Seattle area with contracts that are expiring or have already expired.

Since the onset of the pandemic, many hotels nationwide have scaled back services and staffing, while the hotel industry’s gross operating profit was 26.63% higher in 2022 than 2019. Hotel room rates have reached record highs as these service cuts linger.

“The cost of everything we need every day is going up. I own my house, but my wage is not enough for me to be able to keep it alone. I’ve had to have family move in with me,” said Westin Seattle room attendant Rosemary. “We will fight for a contract with wages that keep up with the cost of living.”

Hotel workers in Seattle are calling for the hotel industry to “Respect Our Work” and “Respect Our Guests” by raising wages and staffing sufficiently to avoid painful working conditions. Nationally, hotel workers report heavy workloads, loss of hours, and jobs that aren’t enough to afford the cost of living.

► From Reuters — Thousands of hotel workers to rally in 18 cities ahead of contract negotiations — Unionized hotel workers demanding significant pay raises will rally on May Day in 18 U.S. and Canadian cities, as talks are beginning with operators Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, and Hyatt Hotels Corp. Talks will cover about 40,000 workers who look to secure new contracts for the first time since the pandemic. Workers want to reverse pandemic-era staffing and service cuts, as well as duplicate the big pay hikes that organized workers across the nation have been winning in the recent years.